the jacket (the star-rover)-第32章

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there　were　hundreds　shooting　into　the　camp。　　At　other　times　came

lulls　in　which　not　a　shot　was　fired。　　Father　was　continually

cautioning　our　men　not　to　waste　shots　because　we　were　running　short

of　ammunition。



And　all　the　time　the　men　went　on　digging　the　well。　　It　was　so　deep

that　they　were　hoisting　the　sand　up　in　buckets。　　The　men　who　hoisted

were　exposed；　and　one　of　them　was　wounded　in　the　shoulder。　　He　was

Peter　Bromley；　who　drove　oxen　for　the　Bloodgood　wagon；　and　he　was

engaged　to　marry　Jane　Bloodgood。　　She　jumped　out　of　the　rifle　pit

and　ran　right　to　him　while　the　bullets　were　flying　and　led　him　back

into　shelter。　　About　midday　the　well　caved　in；　and　there　was　lively

work　digging　out　the　couple　who　were　buried　in　the　sand。　　Amos

Wentworth　did　not　come　to　for　an　hour。　　After　that　they　timbered　the

well　with　bottom　boards　from　the　wagons　and　wagon　tongues；　and　the

digging　went　on。　　But　all　they　could　get；　and　they　were　twenty　feet

down；　was　damp　sand。　　The　water　would　not　seep。



By　this　time　the　conditions　in　the　rifle　pit　were　terrible。　　The

children　were　complaining　for　water；　and　the　babies；　hoarse　from

much　crying；　went　on　crying。　　Robert　Carr；　another　wounded　man；　lay

about　ten　feet　from　mother　and　me。　　He　was　out　of　his　head；　and　kept

thrashing　his　arms　about　and　calling　for　water。　　And　some　of　the

women　were　almost　as　bad；　and　kept　raving　against　the　Mormons　and

Indians。　　Some　of　the　women　prayed　a　great　deal；　and　the　three　grown

Demdike　sisters；　with　their　mother；　sang　gospel　hymns。　　Other　women

got　damp　sand　that　was　hoisted　out　of　the　bottom　of　the　well；　and

packed　it　against　the　bare　bodies　of　the　babies　to　try　to　cool　and

soothe　them。



The　two　Fairfax　brothers　couldn't　stand　it　any　longer；　and；　with

pails　in　their　hands；　crawled　out　under　a　wagon　and　made　a　dash　for

the　spring。　　Giles　never　got　half　way；　when　he　went　down。　　Roger

made　it　there　and　back　without　being　hit。　　He　brought　two　pails

part…full；　for　some　splashed　out　when　he　ran。　　Giles　crawled　back；

and　when　they　helped　him　into　the　rifle　pit　he　was　bleeding　at　the

mouth　and　coughing。



Two　part…pails　of　water　could　not　go　far　among　over　a　hundred　of　us；

not　counting　the；　men。　　Only　the　babies；　and　the　very　little

children；　and　the　wounded　men；　got　any。　　I　did　not　get　a　sip；

although　mother　dipped　a　bit　of　cloth　into　the　several　spoonfuls　she

got　for　the　baby　and　wiped　my　mouth　out。　　She　did　not　even　do　that

for　herself；　for　she　left　me　the　bit　of　damp　rag　to　chew。



The　situation　grew　unspeakably　worse　in　the　afternoon。　　The　quiet

sun　blazed　down　through　the　clear　windless　air　and　made　a　furnace　of

our　hole　in　the　sand。　　And　all　about　us　were　the　explosions　of

rifles　and　yells　of　the　Indians。　　Only　once　in　a　while　did　father

permit　a　single　shot　from　the　trench；　and　at　that　only　by　our　best

marksmen；　such　as　Laban　and　Timothy　Grant。　　But　a　steady　stream　of

lead　poured　into　our　position　all　the　time。　　There　were　no　more

disastrous　ricochets；　however；　and　our　men　in　the　trench；　no　longer

firing；　lay　low　and　escaped　damage。　　Only　four　were　wounded；　and

only　one　of　them　very　badly。



Father　came　in　from　the　trench　during　a　lull　in　the　firing。　　He　sat

for　a　few　minutes　alongside　mother　and　me　without　speaking。　　He

seemed　to　be　listening　to　all　the　moaning　and　crying　for　water　that

was　going　up。　　Once　he　climbed　out　of　the　rifle　pit　and　went　over　to

investigate　the　well。　　He　brought　back　only　damp　sand；　which　he

plastered　thick　on　the　chest　and　shoulders　of　Robert　Carr。　　Then　he

went　to　where　Jed　Dunham　and　his　mother　were；　and　sent　for　Jed's

father　to　come　in　from　the　trench。　　So　closely　packed　were　we　that

when　anybody　moved　about　inside　the　rifle　pit　he　had　to　crawl

carefully　over　the　bodies　of　those　lying　down。



After　a　time　father　came　crawling　back　to　us。



〃Jesse；　he　asked；　〃are　you　afraid　of　the　Indians？〃



I　shook　my　head　emphatically；　guessing　that　I　was　to　be　seat　on

another　proud　mission。



〃Are　you　afraid　of　the　damned　Mormons？〃



〃Not　of　any　damned　Mormon；〃　I　answered；　taking　advantage　of　the

opportunity　to　curse　our　enemies　without　fear　of　the　avenging　back

of　mother's　hand。



I　noted　the　little　smile　that　curled　his　tired　lips　for　the　moment

when　he　heard　my　reply。



〃Well；　then；　Jesse；〃　he　said；　〃will　you　go　with　Jed　to　the　spring

for　water？〃



I　was　all　eagerness。



〃We're　going　to　dress　the　two　of　you　up　as　girls；〃　he　continued；　〃so

that　maybe　they　won't　fire　on　you。〃



I　insisted　on　going　as　I　was；　as　a　male　human　that　wore　pants；　but　I

surrendered　quickly　enough　when　father　suggested　that　he　would　find

some　other　boy　to　dress　up　and　go　along　with　Jed。



A　chest　was　fetched　in　from　the　Chattox　wagon。　　The　Chattox　girls

were　twins　and　of　about　a　size　with　Jed　and　me。　　Several　of　the

women　got　around　to　help。　　They　were　the　Sunday　dresses　of　the

Chattox　twins；　and　had　come　in　the　chest　all　the　way　from　Arkansas。



In　her　anxiety　mother　left　the　baby　with　Sarah　Dunlap；　and　came　as

far　as　the　trench　with　me。　　There；　under　a　wagon　and　behind　the

little　breast…work　of　sand；　Jed　and　I　received　our　last

instructions。　　Then　we　crawled　out　and　stood　up　in　the　open。　　We

were　dressed　precisely　alikewhite　stockings；　white　dresses；　with

big　blue　sashes；　and　white　sunbonnets。　　Jed's　right　and　my　left　hand

were　clasped　together。　　In　each　of　our　free　hands　we　carried　two

small　pails。



〃Take　it　easy；〃　father　cautioned；　as　we　began　our　advance。　　〃Go

slow。　　Walk　like　girls。〃



Not　a　shot　was　fired。　　We　made　the　spring　safely；　filled　our　pails；

and　lay　down　and　took　a　good　drink　ourselves。　　With　a　full　pail　in

each　hand　we　made　the　return　trip。　　And　still　not　a　shot　was　fired。



I　cannot　remember　how　many　journeys　we　madefully　fifteen　or

twenty。　　We　walked　slowly；　always　going　out　with　hands　clasped；

always　coming　back　slowly　with　four　pails　of　water。　　It　was

astonishing　how　thirsty　we　were。　　We　lay　down　several　times　and　took

long　drinks。



But　it　was　too　much　for　our　enemies。　　I　cannot　imagine　that　the

Indians　would　have　withheld　their　fire　for　so　long；　girls　or　no

girls；　had　they　not　obeyed　instructions　from　the　whites　who　were

with　them。　　At　any　rate　Jed　and　I　were　just　starting　on　another　trip

when　a　rifle　went　off　from　the　Indian　hill；　and　then　another。



〃Come　back！〃　mother　cried　out。



I　looked　at　Jed；　and　found　him　looking　at　me。　　I　knew　he　was

stubborn　and　had　made　up　his　mind　to　be　the　last　one　in。　　So　I

started　to　advance；　and　at　the　same　instant　he　started。



〃You！Jesse！〃　cried　my　mother。　　And　there　was　more　than　a　smacking

in　the　way　she　said　it。



Jed　offered　to　clasp　hands；　but　I　shook　my　head。



〃Run　for　it；〃　I　said。



And　while　we　hotfooted　it　across　the　sand　it　seemed　all　the　rifles

on　Indian　hill　were　turned　loose　on　us。　　I　got　to　the　spring　a

little　ahead；　so　that　Jed　had　to　wait　for　me　to　fill　my　pails。



〃Now　run　for　it；〃　he　told　me；　and　from　the　leisurely　way　he　went

about　filling　his　own　pails　I　knew　he　was　determined　to　be　in　last。



So　I　crouched　down；　and；　while　I　waited；　watched　the　puffs　of　dust

raised　by　the　bullets。　　We　began　the　return　side　by　side　and

running。



〃Not　so　fast；〃　I　cautioned　him；　〃or　you'll　spill　half　the　water。〃



That　stung　him；　and　he　slacked　back　perceptibly。　　Midway　I　stumbled

and　fell　headlong。　　A　bullet；　striking　directly　in　front　of　me；

filled　my　eyes　with　sand。　　For　the　moment　I　thought　I　was　shot。



〃Done　it　a…purpose；〃　Jed　sneered　as　I　scrambled　to　my　feet。　　He　had

stood　and　waited　for　me。



I　caught　his　idea。　　He　thought　I　had　fallen　deliberately　in　order　to

spill　my　water　and　go　back　for　more。　　This　rivalry　between　us　was　a

serious　matterso　serious；　indeed；　that　I　immediately　took

advantage　of　what　he　had　imputed　and　raced　back　to　the　spring。　　And

Jed　Dunham；　scornful　of　the　bullets　that　were　puffing　dust　all

around　him；　stood　there　upright　in　t